Type bar actuator comprising sequentially operating electromagnetically acting devices



- 3 452 850 July 1, 1969 s. MANUS TYPE BAR ACTUATOR COMPRISING SEQUENTIALLY OPERATING ELECTROMAGNETICALLY ACTING DEVICES Filed April 50. 1963 DELAY as V/CE I INVENTOR GEORGE-MANUS ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 197-14 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In an electric typewriter including at least one type bar and at least one key associated with the type bar, an electromagnetical means for operating the type bar when its respective key is operated comprising a selector member pivotally connected to the type bar for free, unrestrained pivotal movement therewith and normally biased to a retracted or inoperative position and an impact member normally biased to an inactive position. An electromagnet is provided for each of the type bars which is energized upon depression of the key for said bar to pivot the selector member from its retracted position to an extended position wherein a lug formed on the selector member is in the path of movement of the impact rail. Immediately after charging of the magnetic coil for the selector, an actuating coil for the impact member is energized whereby the impact rail engages the lug of the selector member to effect operation of the type bar and selector member towards a platen. The selector member also includes an elongated blocking lever, the terminal end of which is disposed relative to the bridge on which the type bar rests to prevent pivotal movement of the type bar and which, in the extended position of the selector member clears the bridge to permit pivotal movement of the type bar.

The present invention relates to an electric typewriter having electromagnetically actuatable devices for moving the type bars upon operation of the keys.

There is known a large number of constructions of this kind of typewriters. A disadvantage of the known constructions is that they do not allow a sutficiently quick response, so that the typing speed is unfavourably limited.

This disadvantage is eliminated by the present invention. According to the invention a typewriter of the abovementioned kind is provided, which has a comparatively simple and strong construction, and which thus may be produced at low costs.

According to the invention there is proposed an electric typewriter having electromagnetically actuatable devices for operating the type bars when the keys are operated, comprising a respective and single selector member for each type bar and one or more electromagnetically actuatable impact members, wherein each of the said single selector members can be electromagnetically brought, on operation of a corresponding key, into an operative position and by the action of a resilient means, into an inoperative position, and in its operative position can receive a mechanical pulse from the or from one of the impact members and can transmit the force of the said pulse to a type bar for operation of the latter, characterized in that each single selector member can directly receive a mechanical pulse from the or from one of the impact members and can directly transmit the force of this pulse to the type bar to be operated.

By such a device the typing speed can be kept very high, as the time for raising and lowering the type bars does not have to be considered.

By the expression directly received is meant that a mechanical pulse or impact is dispatched to the respective selector member from the impact member without the interposition of any other member bet-ween the impact member and the selector member. Similarly, the expression directly transmit means that, when a selector member transmits the force of a mechanical pulse to an associated type bar, this transmission of force is a direct one, i.e. there is no intermediate part or linkage of parts between the selector member and the type bar.

For a better understanding of the invention it is further described with reference to an embodiment schematically shown in the drawing.

FIG. 1 is side view of a type bar with its actuating means and the platen.

FIG. 2 shows details of the arrangement according to FIG. 1 in another stage of operation.

According to the invention means in the form of a selector member 5 is pivoted on the bar 1 at 5b. Theselector member 5 comprises as shown in FIG. 1 a backwards extending part that by aid of a spring 8 is connected to the bar 1 in such a way that the spring 8 pulls the selector member 5 towards the bar to the position shown in FIG. 1. The selector member 5 includes a blocking lever 5a. In the inoperative position of the selector member 5 shown in FIG. 1, the end of the locking portion 5a is retained at any attempt to raise the type bar 1 to the platen, by the bridge 4 on which the type bar 1 rests through the intermediary of an inserted leather plate. In this way the selector member 5 will be prevented from raising the type bar 1 to the plate-n before the coil of the electromagnet 10 is energized. The electromagnet 10 is located below the selected member 5. The coil of the electromagnet 10 is charged when a key corresponding to the type bar 1 is depressed. Thus, there is one electromagnet 10 associated with each key, and thus one with each type bar 1. When the electromagnet 10 is charged with current, the selector means 5 is operated, pivots about a bearing 5b and is swung against the force of the spring 8. Thereby the locking portion 5a of selector member 5 is turned upwards in the direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1 into the position indicated in FIG. 2. The locking portion 5a no longer prevents the type bar 1 from rising towards the platen.

When the selector member 5 is pivoted as has just been described towards the electromagnet 10, a lug So on the selector member is moved together with the latter, so that it lies in the motion path of an impact bar or impact rail 6. A common impact rail 6 may be provided for all type bars, or there may be provided one impact rail for each of several groups of type bars. The impact rail 6 is moved by means of a solenoid, the armature being secured to the impact rail and being pulled into the coil 9 of the solenoid when the coil is energized. The impact bar 6 is kept in its inoperative position by a return spring 7.

The described device works as follows: When a key is depressed a circuit is closed through the winding of the magnet coil 10. The selector member 5 is thereby pulled down from the position shown in FIG. 1 into the position shown in FIG. 2. The locking portion 5a is thus moved so that it is no longer retained by the bridge 4 and is free to transmit a mechanical pulse received on its lug 5c, this pulse being delivered by the impact rail 6. Immediately after the energization of the coil 10*, the coil 9 is energized whereby the impact rail 6 is thrust forward and with its impact edge 6a hits the lug 5c. The type bar 1 is thereby thrust towards the platen 3.

As mentioned above there is no mechanical connection between the impact rail and the selector member 5. As soon as the impact rail has delivered a mechanical pulse to the selector member 5 of the bar 1, the spring 7 can return the impact rail to its initial position where it is ready to perform a new impact. At each impact a type bar is thrust towards the platen. Thus several type bars can easily be simultaneously on their way to the platen 3 and/or from the platen. By this independent connection between the active parts a very high typing speed can be attained.

Other forms of embodiment of the selector member 5 and of its locking portion 5c are possible within the ambit of the appended claims.

The requirement of a slight delay in the action of the impact device 6 in relation to the means 5 can be met by electrical means, e.g. by inserting an appropriate electrical component into the circuit of the electromagnet and/or of the soleoid 9. It is also possible to secure this delay by a suitable correlation of the following factors: (a) length of the impact rail 6 (b) the relative weights of the rail 6 and of the selector member 5 (c) strength of the spring 7 (d) the electrical strength of the coils of the electromagnet 10 and of the solenoid 9.

As one example of the present invention reference is particularly invited to the circuitry and associated con trols shown in FIG. 1, in which FIG. 1 of the operator actuated type keys is designated by the numeral 11, which key upon depression closes the switch 12 and establishes the circuits to the electromagnets 9 and 10. It will be noted that a suitable delay device 13 of any one of a number of wellknown constructions is inserted in the circuit so that upon closing of the switch 12 by operation of a key 11 current is first supplied to the electromagnet 10 and is subsequently supplied to the electromagnet 9, the sequence of operation of said electromagnets 9 and 10 having been previously described.

I claim:

1. An electric typewriter comprising a frame, a platen, at least one type bar pivotally mounted in said frame, a bridge mounted on said frame supporting the type bar, a key associated with said type bar, a selector member pivotally mounted on said type bar having a lug formed thereon and a blocking lever, and adapted for free, unrestrained pivotal movement with said type bar, an impact member mounted in said frame adapted for movement between an active position and an inactive position, first electromagnet means for actuating the impact member from its inactive to active position, first biasing means normally urging said impact memberto its inactive position, said selector adapted for movement between a retracted position and an extended position wherein said lug is in the path of movement of said impact member, second biasing means normally urging said selector member to its retracted position wherein said blocking lever is disposed relative to said bridge to prevent pivotal move-. ment of the type bar, second electromagnet means operable upon actuation to move the selector member to an extended position, actuation of a key operable to energize the first and second electromagnet means sequentially whereby the lug of the selector member is engaged by said impact member to effect pivotal movement of said type bartoward said platen.

2. In an electric typewriter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said abutment surface is part of a support member for supporting a type bar when the latter is in its inoperative position resting thereon.

3. An electric typewriter comprising a frame, a platen, at least one type of bar pivotally mounted in said frame, a bridge mounted on said frame supporting the type bar, a key associated with said type bar, a selector member pivotally mounted on said type bar having a lug formed thereon and a blocking lever, and adapted for free, un. restrained pivotal movement with its said type bar, an impact member mounted in said frame adapted for movement between an active position and an inactive position, first electromagnet means for actuating the impact member from its inactive to active position, first biasing means normally urging said impact member to its inactive position, said selector adapted for movement between a retracted position and an extended position wherein said lug is in the path of movement of said impact member, second biasing means normally urging said selector member to its retracted position wherein said blocking lever is disposed relative to said bridge to prevent pivotal movement of the type bar, second electromagnet means operable upon actuation to move the selector member to an extended position, actuation of a key operable to energize the first and second electromagnet means to effect sequentially pivotal movement of said selector member to its extended position and then movement of said impact member to its active position whereby the lug of the selector member is engaged by said impact member to effect pivotal movement of said type bar toward said platen.

4. An electric typewriter comprising a frame, a platen, a plurality of type bars pivotally mounted in said frame, a bridge mounted on said frame supporting the type bars, a key associated with each of said type bars, a selector member pivotally mounted on each type bar having a lug formed thereon and a blocking lever, and adapted for free, unrestrained pivotal movement with its respective type bar, an impact member mounted in said frame adapted for movement between an active position and an inactive position, first electromagnet means for actuating the impact member from its inactive to active position, first biasing means normally urging said impact member to its inactive position, each of said selector members adapted for movement between a retracted position and an extended position wherein said lug is in the path of movement of said impact member, second biasing means normally urging each of said selector members to its retracted position wherein said blocking lever is disposed relative to said bridge to prevent pivotal movement of its respective type bar, second electromagnet means for each selector member, each second electromagnet means operable upon energization to move its associated selector member to an extended position, actuation of a given key operable to energize the first electro-magnet means and one of said second electromagnetic means to effect sequentially pivotal movement of the selector member for said given key to its extended position and then movement of said impact to its active position whereby the lug of the selector memberfor said given key is engaged by said impact member to effect pivotal movement of the type bar associated with said given key toward said platen.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 747,485 12/1903 Roberts 197---l4 840,120 1/1907 Donning 197--14 1,077,675 11/1913 Crawley 197-14 1,156,288 10/1915 Hausberg 197-14 1,328,736 1/ 1920 Hausberg l97-14 1,395,600 12/1921 Satterstrom l9714 2,499,111 2/1950 Roethel 292-280 EDGAR S. BURR, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 197-17 

